A Complete Guide On How To Open A Food Truck In India

Food trucks have become quite a rage lately in the evolving restaurant space. According to the National Restaurant Association report, by 2017 food trucks will generate about $2.7 billion in revenue. The advantage of mobility in Food Truck format gives owners access to multiple locations at an initial capital that is lower than that needed in opening a restaurant of any other format. Thus, it is no wonder that restaurant owners are looking to invest in a Food Truck instead of an individual stationary restaurant. This article will tell you why it is a better idea to open a Food Truck instead of a Standalone Restaurant. In this article, we will take you through every step of starting your own food truck business in India.

How To Start A Food Truck Business In India

First of all, you should create a food truck business plan which would act as a roadmap to the future growth of your food truck. Learn how you can create a business plan for your food truck here.

The following points will guide you through the process of opening a Food Truck Business in India:

Choosing the right Food Truck or Commercial Vehicle

Get the kitchen equipment and raw materials required in a food truck

Allply for licenses and permits needed to start a food truck business in India

Look for the workforce required to run the food truck smoothly

Install POS software for your food truck

Decide on the staff uniform for your food truck employees

Market your business

Decide on the total investment required to start a food truck business in India

Other miscellaneous things required to keep your food truck business in India, on the mark

Now, let’s dive in deeper so that you can gain a comprehensive understanding of how you can execute these points mentioned above in the most effective ways that will bolster your food truck business in India.

1. Choose The Right Food Truck Or Commercial Vehicle

The first thing to do is to choose the right truck or commercial vehicle. Based on the given menu which is Italian and Continental, you need a commercial vehicle which is at least 18-Feet long, and a new one would cost around Rs 7-8 lakhs. There are various trucks available in the market from Tata, Mahindra & Mahindra and Ashok Leyland.

But to save costs, you can start with an old truck which would cost half the price of the new one. However, when buying an old commercial vehicle or truck one should check for proper fitness certificate, registration, road tax receipt, and insurance. Also, it should not be more than five years old, as due to pollution problems various state governments and environmental bodies are considering to ban 10-year-old commercial vehicles in different cities.

The old vehicle can further be modified and designed based on the requirement with an additional cost of Rs 1 lakh from the various bodybuilder shops. So, the total cost of the final truck (old) without kitchen equipment is Rs 5 lakhs. This cost seems to very high from the 450 sq ft shop for QSR whose rent is somewhere around Rs 40,000, but in the long run, the food truck cost would be negligible as there is no or very less rent or fees to pay depending upon the vicinity.

Tips to choose the right location for your Food Truck

Choose a street that doesn’t have too many similar food vendors around, has a regular flow of traffic for inviting large footfall, and has establishments with young professionals and students in the surrounding area. Also, the parking of truck should be such that it does not pose any hassle to commuters, yet should be visible to the people. Also, it is advisable to buy a light commercial vehicle rather than going for a big size heavy commercial vehicle because in certain cities including Delhi big size trucks are not allowed before 9:00 pm.

2. Kitchen Equipment And Raw Materials Required To Start a Food Truck

The total cost of kitchen equipment comes to around Rs 3 lakhs which includes Microwave, juicer mixer, freezer, refrigerators, griller, steamer, working tables, one burner, exhaust equipment, generator or big batteries with inverter. It is advisable going for new equipment as they are mostly electronic items. Since you get a one year warranty on new ones, you would be relieved of the daily maintenance cost of the equipment. However, if you choose the equipment carefully and determine which can be bought old, this can save you a lot of money which can be used for other essential activities. Apart from the kitchen equipment, you can store raw material for the first week which would cost somewhere around Rs 30,000. Further, it is advisable to keep the raw material less for the first few weeks to keep the stock fresh and to study the pattern of sale and then procure more.

3. Licenses & Permits Required For Starting a Food Truck Business in India

Since there are no clear-cut laws pertaining to food trucks business in India, the defined set of documents required are not present anywhere specifically. However, it is essential to procure the following set of licenses for your food truck in India, which will permit you to carry on with your business legally in this territory:

Fire Safety Certificate

Shop and Establishment License

NOC from RTO

NOC from Municipal Corporation

FSSAI Mobile Vendor’s License

Kitchen Insurance

The combined paper and licensing work can cost you around Rs 50,000. There are a lot of consultancies which can help you to get the licensing and other permits.

4. Manpower Required For Your Food Truck

In the food truck format, a maximum of two chefs and one helper are required who can take care of the operations of the entire food truck. The average salary of Chefs can be somewhere around Rs 13k-15k while the helper’s salary can go up to a maximum of Rs 8000. If you want to set up a delivery model for the truck, you can hire two delivery boys or can tie-up with third-party logistics companies which charge somewhere around Rs 40-50 per delivery. However, to keep the service level up to the mark and if you are looking to create an identity in the foodservice market, we would like to advise you to hire at least one delivery boy who will also help you to procure raw materials in the case of emergencies rather than depending upon the third party logistics.

5. POS Software For Your Food Truck

It is always advisable to have a good point of sale software which can keep your data safe and give detailed information about your inventory and sales. A good POS can make or break your food truck business in today’s competitive environment as a lot of restaurants including QSRs and other food businesses use customer data to get repeat orders and take customer feedback. An excellent point of sale software can cost somewhere around Rs 24,000 per annum, i.e., Rs 2000 monthly.

6. Staff Uniform For Your Food Truck Employees

The staff uniform gives an overall brand feel to the business which will in return help you gain more trust among your customers. A standard collar t-shirt will cost somewhere around Rs 120, and since you have only five employees in this particular format, two chefs coats (2 each) which will cost around Rs 300 while rest of the employees can have a t-shirt and a cap. The combined cost of all the uniforms would not be more than Rs 6000-7000.

7. How To Do Marketing Of Your Food Truck

Unlike QSR, Food Trucks require less number of menu pamphlets for distribution since the primary business of food truck is based on the footfall rather than delivery. Still to create the initial buzz, one can go for 15000 Pamphlets which will cost around Rs 20000 and some billboards and banners in the nearby catchment area which will cost around Rs 10000. However, in the new digital age creating offline buzz is not enough.

Having a presence on Social Media is a must, and as it would keep your customers and followers informed about the location of a food truck on any given day to build a regular flow of customers and build brand connect. Also, it can be used to leverage existing followers to spread the word about the food truck, offering discounts, choosing new food items for the menu, etc. Find out how to do the digital marketing for your restaurant the right way here.

Apart from that, keep a note of events and community gatherings in the local area and park the food truck around. Tie-ups with event planners, personal contacts with customers, and free goodies like t-shirts and mugs carrying the food truck logo, can go a long way in spreading and expanding the business.

8. Cost Of Opening A Food Truck In India

The average cost of starting a food truck business in India is around 10 Lakhs. It varies mainly according to the type of vehicle you are opting for and the kitchen equipment. Here is the overall cost distribution for a food truck business in India:

9. Other Things Required To Start A Food Truck Business In India

Apart from the things mentioned above, while starting the food truck, you require things like two mobile phones, calculator, attendance register, daily book, 2-3 big dustbins to keep the area clean, etc.

Unlike other food business formats, the food truck business has its pros and cons, such as the location which is a problem for other formats but here the owner of the food truck can decide the site based on the market information and research, with no rent to be paid, no electricity bills, less capital required and low operational costs.

On the flip side, the food truck business is quite uncertain as there are no proper framework or guidelines to operate, but if things are done carefully and responsibly, this format can be rated as the best food format in terms of returns in comparison to the investments made. The investments made in the food truck business is slightly higher than the QSR format, but the good thing is that the overall operational cost is much less than a QSR or restaurant in the long run.

Apart from the regular business which has a minimum Rs 8000-9000 sales per day, a food truck can also make money from various events and catering. A single event or catering can generate earnings up to Rs 30,000 in a day.

Hi Team,
I am a Hospitality Graduate from Mumbai with 8 years experience in Hotels, I am currently in Bhilwara – Rajasthan.
This place has a massive spending capacity and is in the centre of tourist spots like Udaipur and Ajmer.
The concept of Food Trucks is not here come here, but has a massive potential if marketed and set up well.
I am currently looking for an investor or a well versed team to help me set up shop here as all the government officials and liasoning agents are on great terms.
Do let me know if we can enter into this venture together, as I am really hoping to commence this asap.

Hey hello Rohit,
This is Rishabh, I a MBA in Events and Public Relations and currently working inn a event company, I need to learn and work in the food truck industry. Please contact me in vishu.rishabh@gmail.com

Hi,
I am planning to start one or two food trucks in Gurgaon. I is great idea if we all can work together.
I am creating a Whatsapp group with all interested for Gurgaon.
My contact details are –
E mail – dinesh130869@gmail.com
Mobile – 7024241369
Thanks

hi, guys, I have been researching on this food truck business for days on the internet, I am from Vizag, I looking for a business partner anyone from this region interested please contact me, # chbabji18@gmail.com
and I have a small suggestion lets us all create a whats app group and share our ideas, creative thoughts

Hey, I am an IT Consultant and my Wife is also a Manager. But we are planning to start the Food truck business as we both are really a good cook. Even we have decided our Food menu as well. If you are interested to work with me, your most welcome. Thanks, Sandeep ( sandycse2005@gmail.com) .

hello,i would like to start a business of food truck.As u mentioned above that you are providing some sort of investments in our ideas for tht can u plz call me for further diss. my contact no. is 7500735754

So far we have 3 people from Bangalore. 1 from Chennai. 1 from Mumbai. Myself from Delhi. Only serious people wanting to discuss and start food truck please contact on whatsup only. You should have passion about this concept. Dr. Vaibhav 7042099192

[…] With low investments and minimal risks involved, Food Trucks are becoming a rage in the restaurant trends. While Food Trucks can also be considered as a part of the QSR segment, what makes Food Truck an ideal choice is its mobility feature. The availability of food on wheels is a distinctively attractive feature for customers, as most Food Trucks also promise gourmet food at affordable prices. Food Trucks offer more scope for experimentation in terms of food. With low investments and minimal risks involved, Food Trucks are fast becoming the popular choice for owning a restaurant business, especially for first-time restaurateurs. Here is A Step by Step Guide to Start Your Own Food Truck Business. […]

Thanks for given budget details and planning.Is there any ideas to share with the solutions.Can you provide your number.I’m planning to start this business with two partners.I need take special training in chef.i would like to learn cooking with different varieties.I know for home level but need to learn profession.

Thanks for a detailed break up. It can be a big help do understand the most import part of business, finance management. I feel it makes a lot of sense to focus on the most important aspects of food truck business , i.e food and the items one offers. There is a lot of competition growing in this market as well…but it is important to understand that quality prevails. Also to be frank, the other cost factor that is not quoted (may be intentionally) in the above break up it all the ‘chai pani’ that you need to cater to undesired but frequent guests.
But in nutshell, a good source of information. Good luck to all the entrepreneurs.

I Have a quick question. i am keen start a food truck business in Delhi NCR however want the truck to be a movable one not stationed. so basically it will be stationed in one place for few hours and then move to other place. is it possible? if yes then do we need take licenses and permissions from all the local authorities where the truck will be stationed? your help will be greatky appreciated.

Hey Food Truck Team, I have prior experience in the catering business but it’s run from home by my family. I want to start something of my own based out of Chennai. Can invest around 5 lakhs and work full time. Look forward to partnering with you if everything works out great. You can reach me at 9176460786 – Tauseef.

Hey peeps… m intrested in food business… nd having all restro equipments… bt d major problem is funds, which i dnt have, nd i need intresting patner, who is intrested nd ready to do initial investment… m hvng 1nd half yr experience of running restro in delhi too, so if ny1 is intrested to do Patnership with me… plz contact me for further queries…

Hello,
We have a readymade food truck in Mumbai which we started last year and had got good response for our menu items such as rolls, wraps , pizzas and pastas. However, run into trouble due to location and local authorities approval constraints. If anyone has ideas /suggestions to get complete approvals and good location , will be great help
We are ready to join hands with a willing person to take this further and fruitful.

Hello,
We have a readymade food truck in Mumbai which we started last year and had got good response for our menu items such as rolls, wraps , pizzas and pastas. However, run into trouble due to location and local authorities approval constraints. If anyone has ideas /suggestions to get complete approvals and good location , will be great help
We are ready to join hands with a willing person to take this further and make it fruitful.

Hi Mates,
More than starting a food truck business, I am more passionate about this food truck business.

We are 2 people and are software professionals and wanted to target the software crowd near BTP and metro stations. I am sure that we can do a better business.
All I need is a like minded joining hand to start the venture and coordinate well with high understanding and maturity.. People who are really passionate about taking things to a next level can call me and meet me for next set of discussions.

hi sathish.. I am working also in hotel based in Doha qatar and was looking for a chef who is also planning for a start up in food truck. let conect and join if you still interested and looking for partner. I work here in qatar in front office dept as front office manager. you can connect with me on +974-31212520

Mobility and profit are really good. Infact I know people who have made big bucks by parking their trucks in events like Auto expo but my only concern is that this business is very much dependent on the chef..how to go about hiring a proper chef who would be loyal ? Quiet a pain hiring a new chef if one leaves..Awaiting your response..

Helo guys , I am from Lucknow and I run a food truck here in Lucknow but due to improper management and lack of capital the returns are not as excepted . I have team of experienced chefs so if anyone interested who can help me out or would like to invest or even work as join venture mail me up ks389319@gmail.com …you can call me directly on 9519406958

hi i am from mumbai currently based in doha, Qatar. i am looking for partner to start food truck in India. if there is someone who is ready to invest with me please get in touch. you may contact me on whatsapp +974-31212520

Hello Folks,
I am looking to set up and start a FOOD CART in Bangalore that dishes out yummy food in a clean and hygienic environment . I looking for a co-partner who is also interested in the food business and also partially invest in the concept ( I will be investing 60-70% of the investment required) or someone from the hotel management industry with also help. Interested folks could send me an email on nishant.ja03@gmail.com. Cheers;)

Hi i am also interested to open a food truck business in Delhi and need a partner who can available for full time like a team with me and investment according capacity or can discuss later.contact me through email kirtinegi2007@gmail.com..thank you

HI GUYS This is Diwakar Founder of SCRUMMYS.I have given Franchisee West Bengal and bihar katihar,now i am planning to scrummys on wheel,if any one have interest can reach me scrummysv@gmail.com
thanks

Hello everyone…well my.name is derick based in Goa and has this idea of starting food truck business but lacking in ideas as to select .menu.especially dat goa receives a lot of india tourist.
Reach o dasayshi@gmail.co.

i want to start food truck in Surat – Gujarat , if any want to join(as a Partner) , please share your details i will call you or you can call/mail on below mention details ,
(M) :9687629882
Email : krunaal.shaah@gmail.com

Hi i am keen on starting a food truck. I m a home baker and shifted from mumbai to delhi. Would def want someone experienced to help me regarding this. Thank you. Also if thers any whatsapp group for the same pls add me. My number is 9811100746.

Hey Guys,
This is Chirag,
I am planning to start a food truck business in ahmedabad, looking for a good partner to invest and work with me.
Interested peeps can get an hold of me @ +91-7600775257 or you can e-mail me @ chiragbajarani@gmail.com.

Hi guys,
I have read all the threads above. And have done some research regarding approval and everything in my current location varanasi. I have many contacts here and approval is very easy to take but I am looking for a partner for the job. As you might be knowing Varanasi I a renowned tourist destination and it has some big university that can serve the purpose and thanx to PM (Narendra Modi ji) it has gained some popularity in the recent time, which can ensure the future of business. Interested people please ping me on what’s app. 8307730659

Hello preeti,
Good to hear that you are interested in investing for food truck because its one of the most fastest growing startup business in india.
And Being a Mumbaikar i have a wonderful idea for the same and am sure it would be great profitable too.
Looking forward for your reply
You can contact me on 7977667707 orrmehta050@gmail.com

Very informative write up also lovely comments and reply .. happy to see that we are creating so many jobs for people.. I have just invested on a food truck and will be processing my licence too but may not get all.. since the city(Mumbai) does not have regulations laid for a food truck..but I have written since I am looking to recruit 2 south Indian chefs for the truck.. can anyone help with contact.. a fresher would do too.. as he /she would be trained..

I am in Delhi NCR. I have already invested in a food truck. I want a partner who could jointly run the operations. If interested please contact me on brew.akhilesh@gmail.com, i can share my contact number if you could drop me a mail with your name, contact number and a brief background about yourself. About myself, I am an IIT+IIM passout with 18 years of experience in the corporate world. Food is my passion that is why looking to get into this and scale the venture.

Hello Guys,
I used to have small restaurant with a unique cuisine in Delhi. I had to closed, coz I moved to Bangalore.
I am planing to start in Bangalore, Food Truck. Looking for a someone who can joined me.

Hi, i maybe start food truck business with less items in menu and after a while i maybe increase the items in menu. Location i have chosen for it are – raipur, bhilai and shahdol. I already have a chef and i myself own will work as staff as we will start it in a small scale. For any suggestions drop mail at – ayushgaikwad771@gmail.com.

Thanks Mr. Malik, This is such a helpful site. Trust got almost all my required answers. I am fascinated with the idea of starting my own food truck. Me n my husband have vast experience with one of the top most 5 star hotel brand in India and UAE.

Great sense of experience in the corporate world and Sales n Marketing.

Now its high time to start something on our own. We have seen the rapid growth of food trucks all over and want to have our own. We have great ideas food culture and plans to flourish if we are successful to start our own Truck. I need investors or suitable and serious Entrepreneur minded individual who can assist us further. We can talk in detail if you can drop me a text on my whtsapp +971501235072.

I will be in India from 24th June until 30th September.

Want to start either in Goa or Belgaum (Karnataka) or Both the places.

Thank you Mr. MALLIK for ur valuable information. Lots of people who are thinking of starting their own food truck will get some brief information.

We are planning to start an food truck in Navi Mumbai, we already have an BBQ BIKE in Dombivli which is handled by Darshan Wadkar and team.
We are planning to start a full fledged food truck with carry on ride food items.
We are looking for investors who will be keen in our project.
We are estimating an run of 10 truck in navi mumbai in coming 2-3years.
Any one interested can write me on mayurpange@gmail.com.

Hello I need help in Ahmedabad with a Food truck business, Concept and product is already tested in Mumbai. Want to launch in Ahmedabad . If anyone is interested get in touch with me. 9820533973. Anandana

i have a truck a tata suoer ace mint i want to start food truck business in pune specially aundh area looking for someone to collabrate with some finance , anybody male or female interested please get in touch on 9021810310

Hi, Am planning to start off a food truck business, looking for some guidance and help. Open to partner with some experienced people. Also interested in a franchise. (bharathd24@yahoo.com) (9940888080)

Hey,
This article is of great importance and value at this point of time to me.
I’m an ex-food journalist and Public Relation manager in Hospitality sector but relocated to US but want to start some food business in Kolkata/Hyderabad, India. I can share a partnership with similar minded, goal oriented and hard working individual or a ready-to-go team .

Hi Guys ,
I am from Bangalore. I have read almost all the comments it’s very much knowledgeable with more Innovative ideas.Big thanks to everyone,however i have an idea to startup an food truck in Bangalore
i need some more help
Please let me Know if anybody is interested to join me
contact me on : veerendra.saint@gmail.com (9663353497)

Hi everyone,
Good luck to our food truck entrepreneurs,
food truck businesses are booming in india nowadays. I own a food truck and was looking fot someone to work with, interested people can contact me on the given contact details below, I’ve researched the market in lucknow, new delhi and now I’m in hyderabad to see the possible places where my truck can start it’s venture. If anyone interested i would love to talk about it.
contact details:
whatsapp : 8447469174 (most pteferred)
email : tjawed52@gmail.com
call on 8447469174
looking forward for a reply…

I am also looking forward towards this business especially in Indo-Chinese cousin. I also have chefs in hand and a target area located, full of young people, but short of funds. I am planning to open a chain of food trucks but lack money for even one. It would have been a great help if the article would have also mentioned about where one can go to get funds or if some banks give loans for some ventures or anything. It was a great article but this point should have been included.

I was studied alot and in next month I am going to open in indore so Guys just join and make group or chain in all metro city first my whatupp no 9893053289 for indore anyone to collaborate then plz inform.

Nice Reading…..However as the owner of a Food Truck Business in Kolkata which had to be shut down, I must say, a vital requirement at least in Kolkata is good money for donations and good connections with high ranking political leaders

Food Truck is one of the most preferred choices for most of the first-time restaurant owners, primarily because of the low initial investment and the relatively low risk involved. Hence, Food Truck business in India has witnessed a massive growth in the past few years. This article provides some valuable information. Thank you!

Food truck format is a great investment the initial expense of setting up a food truck business is low and the staff requirement is also less. The profit margin of a food truck in India is INR 10,000 or more which depends mostly on the footfall. The best thing about starting a food truck is the flexibility, don’t like a place? just park your vehicle elsewhere!
All the best for starting a new food truck business.

HI my name naveen kumar, am worked in hotel and restaurant as a chef and now am thinking about food truck business planning in Bangalore , so any body have any planes about it and work with me please ping me .
my mail idroyalsanga.kumar7@gmail.com

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